UTU Vote In Canada

[ShortRun]

I have sat back and read various comments from different individuals and I believe that it's time to state some facts for everyones benefit.

Rex Beatty had attended our Local Meeting, and he stated many different times that he was good friends with Paul Vickers (TCRC General Chairman) and that they were working on something that would be beneficial to both the Hoggers and Conductors. This was back in 2005... Next thing you know, the UTU signs for a 3 year deal and a few weeks later, the Hoggers get a 5 year deal with perks and benefits to boot! Where's the benefits for the Conductors?

There was now a 2 year change in Contract expiry dates between the Hogs and Connies. Rex came back to our Local and explained that he raked Paul Vickers over the coals for signing a 5 year deal and letting us hang in the wind, but Paul was still his best friend.

Beatty also claimed that things were still in the works to have a deal struck for the benefit of the tailend. (Everything except time and one half for Road Switchers on Stat. Holidays)... Remember, this was done in 2005, a full year and a half before the Ashville, NC Meetings where the USW option was discussed.

Glenn King and Rex Beatty were looking to take Canada by storm at this point and even went so far as to provide the International with a plan to have Rex assume all of the duties as Vice President (Canadian President) and Canadian Legislative Director, (Fulltime) with Glenn Kng serving as a Fulltime Legislative Director and Consultant to the Provincial Boards. Gary Anderson and Rolly Hackl were also slated for Fulltime Officer Positions. Please remember that those already mentioned were already being paid fulltime for their current duties. By doing this, Rex was going to allow the International to save money by letting John Armstrong, Bob Sharpe, Tim Secord, Carol MacGuire and Sandra Monahagn go, as well as closing the Ottawa Office. (The one he's so concerned about now as they are downsizing for eventual closing).

Rex also presented our Local (on occasion) with news that he has used UTU Funds in order to put himself, Gary Anderson, and Jim Robbins through University Courses that allowed them to become licensed Arbitrators. They were NOW QUALIFIED to hear and make rulings on cases presented to the Arbitration Board. Beatty also said that the International was robbing his GCofA because they were refusing to pay for the services of Caley and Wray, who were compiling and making presentations at the CROA (Canadian Railway Office of Arbitration). Why should the membership be placed on the hook for the services of a law firm when we had 3 perfectly qualified Arbitrators working for the membership? I still dont get that.!!! Yet, Rex continues to use the services of Mike Church from Caley & Wray throughout all of this... He even compiled the Transfer Agreement that Beatty had for the transferrance of the Canadian UTU Members to the TCRC.

I also remember that some time in 2004/2005?, when Tim Secord and Don Andersen were on their travelling roadshow across Canada, and when they hit our Local they mentioned that Beatty was up to no good with the Teamsters. This came up because it seemed that the majority of complaints that they received were for the Protection Department and not for the Legislative Department. Secord and Andersen were fielding questions for the benefit of the members and they were taking the questions and concerns and forwarding them to the GC's for their response. By the way, we never got any reply back from Rex, did anyone else?

Anyways, long story short. Before you vote, please remember that there are always two sides to every story. You just need to be able to weed out the bullshit that is being slung.

[Zeb]

There are always two sides to every story. Except not many are buying the UTU version apparently. Appears to me more of the Canadian UTU membership want out of the UTU and the deposed Canadian Reps returned to office than not. Everyone is voting now and the will of the Canadian membership will finally be known.

I think Paul Thompson did more damage to the UTU as president than Charlie Little and Byron Boyd did combined - and those two ended up in federal prison.

[ShortRun]

Originally Posted by Zeb

There are always two sides to every story. Except not many are buying the UTU version apparently. Appears to me more of the Canadian UTU membership wants out of the UTU and the deposed Canadian Reps returned to office than not. Everyone is voting now and the will of the Canadian membership will finally be known.

I think Paul Thompson did more damage to the UTU as president than Charlie Little and Byron Boyd did combined - and those two ended up in federal prison.

I see your point Zeb, but unfortunately the Canadian Members have been fed a Smoke and Mirror song and dance show from Rex. It will never matter what you tell the Canadian Membership, they'll always side with Rex. They could be told a million truths (plus the secret Masonic handshake) and they'll still think that Rex is right and everyone else is wrong.

I think that there were a few delegates who saw what was going to happen to the Canadian Membership during the last convention and they sided with taking something away on order to protect the members themselves. I think that the Canadian Members are viewed as the proverbial child who needs to have childproof locks placed on things so they dont hurt themselves. Hence the submission of the Autonomy Issue. They've got something that will most likley hurt them very much.

The Ontario Northland Running Trades left the UTU for the TCRC. They saw what amounted to something that was hurting them very badly. Now they've decertified the TCRC and have gone to the United Steelworkers. Obviously someone at the ONR saw something they liked from the proposal to have the UTU Members represented by the USW. I only hope the CN tailend members wise up as quickly and join their engineering Brothers and Sisters with the USW.

[Zeb]

Originally Posted by ShortRun

I see your point Zeb, but unfortunately the Canadian Members have been fed a Smoke and Mirror song and dance show from Rex. It will never matter what you tell the Canadian Membership, they'll always side with Rex. They could be told a million truths (plus the secret Masonic handshake) and they'll still think that Rex is right and everyone else is wrong.

I think that there were a few delegates who saw what was going to happen to the Canadian Membership during the last convention and they sided with taking something away on order to protect the members themselves. I think that the Canadian Members are viewed as the proverbial child who needs to have childproof locks placed on things so they dont hurt themselves. Hence the submission of the Autonomy Issue. They've got something that will most likley hurt them very much.

The Ontario Northland Running Trades left the UTU for the TCRC. They saw what amounted to something that was hurting them very badly. Now they've decertified the TCRC and have gone to the United Steelworkers. Obviously someone at the ONR saw something they liked from the proposal to have the UTU Members represented by the USW. I only hope the CN tailend members wise up as quickly and join their engineering Brothers and Sisters with the USW.

This is the part I don't buy and hear it from a couple of you. You say it is all the rest of the vast majority of UTU members on the CN that have been fooled - not the few that believe otherwise. Ever consider all the others have it right and you just may have it wrong? No offense, but I have watched the Canadian UTU members from afar. I am often jealous of on just how well the vast bulk of the Canadian membership stays informed, participates, and are very vocal. I wish we had more of that here in the U.S. So I do have a hard time believing that the majority of the CN UTU members have it wrong and are somehow blinded by so called 'Smoke and Mirrors'. I also find that term interesting because I have heard it repeated by the UTU International so many times in reference to those they oppose.

In light of current events of late of the vast number of lies and deceptions exposed from Paul Thompson to have been told to UTU rank and file mmbers in the recent court hearings and depositions here in the US with regard to the SMART merger, I seriously think you should maybe revisit who has really put out the 'smoke and mirrors'

[P.Cushman]

That's it Zeb, diss anyone who offers a different view of yours. I found ShortRun's commentary refreshingly clear and to the point. If you truly support the right of free speech, allow the gentleman to speak his piece - you admit you have been seeing this from afar while it seems ShortRun is much closer to what's been going on than you are.

[Zeb]

Originally Posted by P.Cushman

That's it Zeb, diss anyone who offers a different view of yours. I found ShortRun's commentary refreshingly clear and to the point. If you truly support the right of free speech, allow the gentleman to speak his piece - you admit you have been seeing this from afar while it seems ShortRun is much closer to what's been going on than you are.

I felt I was rather polite in my response to him. You on the other hand are not so fortunate.

I'm sure you did find his post refreshingly clear. Sounds like it came from the exact same script.

What we say here matters little now. The vote is underway. And I think you will be finding out shortly that your views have been in a very very small minority of UTU members on the CN and your version of recent history is far from accurate in the eyes a very large majority of CN UTU members.

[loser]

No matter where you stand on the thing it is at least going to be decided by the membership....It has been a very interesting situation to watch....sadly the scars from this battle will last well beyond the people involved in it..kind of like the UTU formation way back when..even today the engineers choice to stay autonomous has repercussions...hopefully no matter how this thing plays out it will benefit the Canadian railroaders..

[fizz]

I believe very little of what ShortRun has to say.
More posturing by the UTU "forever" crowd.
Rex Beatty is not the one responsible for taking the membership to the TCRC.
Even if he was trying to make the side deals you allude to, it never would have played out as well as what transpired by the bungling UTU International and National leaders.
The putting together of the tailend and headend crafts into one union is long overdue.
We should be fighting the companies not each other. Maybe that was the vision that some had. Even the UTU saw that as a goal with the "Power of One" campaign.
It is time in Canada for the running trades to unite, it is just not going to be under leadership of the UTU, who have cut their own throats.

[Sparks]

Cush knows all about disrespect of others, I think.
He says in his post to let the gentleman speak, but won't allow Zeb the same.

Only your point of view is valid, cush... according to you. Personally, I don't like how you spin things that don't go your way. That's pretty much why UTU Canada wants to break off from the International.

I think the only solution is to take a vote.

[ShortRun]

Well, I spoke my piece and I really dont care if you believe what I've posted. All I know is that I dont want either organization representing me.

I hope to go the way the ONR did, decertify the new bargaining agent and sign on with the USW. I really dont think either the UTU or TCRC deserves to have our dues money.